Laminated panel



Nov. 4, 1952 l.. B. wEYMou-rH 2,616,823

LAMINATED PANEL Filed Jan. 50, 1948 v l -r g." *L

(EL 7%. im @gm/'H nl m INVENTOR.

t Patented Nov. 4, 1952 UNIT-ED STATES PATENT -GFFICE 14 lClaims. (Cl. 154-406) This invention relates to articles formed `of Vl'amin'ations of sheet material bonded together, such as :by means of resinous substances, the invention Abeing particularly applicable to the manufacture 'of panels useful for trimming the interiors of 'automobile or other Vvehicle bodies.

'In the manufacture of interior trim panels lfor automobile bodies it has been customary to form the'panel of three principal laminations, namely, a relatively heavy or stiff foundation board, an outer layer of -fabric or other ornamental `sheet, and an `interposed layer of wadding or padding. These layers have either'been securedtogether'by lines of ornamental stitching or have'been bonded together 'at desired localities by press operation through the .medium of resinous materials. Where the latter method has been employed it has been `the usual practice 'to coat or 'treat lone or more of the layers with .a liquid 'or varnish containing the resin and thereafter lto consolidate the layers together in apress under the influence of heat.

Certain serious disadvantages have been found in the .bonding methods heretofore employed which have constituted a deterrent tothe `practical commercial .use of such methods. Where the .resinous material is coated on the foundation board and wadding layer great difficulty is 'encountered in accurately controlling the amount of resinous material used. An excess of 'the .ma-

terial will increase undesirably the cost of the panel and frequently will result .in the resin soaking through the outer .covering and .m'arring the appearance thereof. Moreover, where the bonding material is applied to the wadding or v,padding layer .an excessive quantity is vusually used since the wadding soaks up this material, and hence during the hot press operation excessive quantities of the resin penetrate the outer fabriclayer. Due to the high cost of the bonding agents, especially thermo-setting resins, it is im- Vvportant in large scale production that the amount v2 a foundation board, a layerof padding, and a covering layer of cloth, 'fabric or other suitable material, and l`wherein the several layers are bonded together under pressure at desired localities, such as along ornamental lines, 4through 'the medium of resin lor bonding material -con- 'tained rin 'a llow"densityrelatively thick paper or pulp sheet interposed 'between the foundation board and padding. Such sheet is preferably rather soft Aand compressible "and hence may lcompress to "varying degrees under the action of the dies, thus rendering the ornamental lines, wherepres'sui'e is applied, more pronounced and distinct while at the same time ensuring efcient bonding `together of the layers free of excess resin. Furthermore, by using such a resin bearing sheet between the foundation and padding and by eliminating any layer of resin between 'the padding and outer covering the soft upholstered characteristic Lor feel of the panel is Apreserved since no hardened or stifiening layer is introduced between the outer covering and `the layer of padding tending to destroy or impair the desired upholstered or 'cushioned feel of the panel.

Still another object of the invention is to provide .a trim .panel having an aperture therethrough for 'receiving the handle shaft or other actuating 'member commonly mounted upon an automobile door for operating a door lock, window regulator or other device, such aperture being formed centrally in a 'countersunk depression or recess providing a relatively narrow marginal varea bounding the aperture wherein the padding and covering material are compressed and consolidated with the foundation to produce a sealed edge surrounded by. a fiat, relatively hard annular seat offset below the adjoining areas of the panel.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, vreference being had to the accompanying drawings vforming apart of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts `in the several views.

Fig. l is a perspective view of a trim panel constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. `2 is an venlarged section 'taken substantially through 1ines2--2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 "is a section generally similar to Fig. 2 illustrating .a step in the formation of an aperturedA vcrzu'nitersunl': depression or recess in the panel.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view illustrating the various laminations of the panel.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of'other embodimentsand' of being practiced or carried out in various'ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the drawings there is illustrated, by way of example, one embodiment olf-'the invention as applied to a decorative trim panel indicated at A, this panel being adapted to be mounted onY the inside of an automobile vdoor or other portion of the body so as to form'a part of the inv terior trim thereof. In general the trim panel of the present embodiment comprises a stiff supporting foundationv board IQ, `a .relatively thick paper sheetlI Iv overlying` the foundation board, a layer of padding or Wadding I2- superimposed upon the sheet II, and an outer facing Vsheet or covering layerfIS preferably formed oi a fabric material: The foundation I .and sheets II, I2 and I3 are'assernbledl in superimposed'relation as shown in the. drawings, and these laminations are subjected to apres'sing 4operation during which -they are subjectedl to heat and pressure and yconsolidated orlunied to form the completed panel. The paper ,sheet II contains the bonding or adhesive material'an'd during the pressing .operation this material irl-fuses into the cover material I3', the. Wadding I2 and the foundation It so that-all of the laminations of the panel are firmly securedforfbonded ,together at predetermined localities Wherep'ressure is applied.v In the vpresent instance the laminations are principally secured Ytor' bonded together along ornamental lines dened by relatively deep indentations or grooves lli. The arrangement of these grooves or ndentations, shown in Fig. 1, is purely for illustrative ,purposes, as it will be apparent that the ,lines or localities at which the laminations are bonded together may be varied as to configuration in order to produce any desired pattern'or design.

The foundation sheet or board I0 is preferably formed from a rigidv and stiif board material providing the desired support for vvthe remaining laminations of the panel. In some instances4 the material of the foundation board'or sheet- ID may be'l made moisture resistant by impregnation with a resin or an asphalt material. However, in connection with a trim panel intended for use on the interior of an automobile'body I prefer to utilize a heavy composition fibre board, such as Masonite board, which is not impregnated or treated for moisture resistant purposes. Y,

The resinous or bonding material usedY for consolidating together. the laminations of the trim panel is containedentirely in the sheet H. This sheet preferablyV comprises a low `density absorbent sheet of cellulosic .material such 'as alpha cellulose or pulp paper which is not only highly absorbent but also compressible under the action of the dies during thehot pressing operation. 'Ihe sheet Il is treatedor "impregnated with a bonding substance 'preferably in the form of a thermo-setting'f resin, 1such as a phenol formaldehydeproductn Whfere' a resin of this character is used as the bonding' agent, it is preferable to convert v'the' resinous sub- ,resinous material .in the sheet stance into a varnish by dissolving it in a suitable solvent. The sheet I I may be impregnated by immersing it in the varnish so that the bers of the sheet will become saturated. Accurate control of the amount of resin introduced into the sheet I! may be obtained by controlling the percentage of resin contained in the varnish so -'that after the sheet II is dried it will contain substantially the exact amount of resin needed to produce the desired bonding action. In the drying operation the volatile solvent is expelled from the sheet II and the resinous material remaining in the sheet is partially reacted or polymerized so as to be capable of further reactionor polymerization when subjected to heat within the press.

The wadding or padding layer I2 comprises any suitable soft deformable material capable of being employed for cushioning the outer surface of the panel. For this purpose it is pre ferred to use material such as cotton batting although any other suitable kind of soft wadding material may be employed. The outer covering sheet I 3 may be made of any suitable finishing material adapted to provide the panelwith the desired ornamental or decorative appearance. Preferably the sheet I3 is in the form of a cloth material although it will be understood that other fabric material such as vartificial leather may be used.

The various laminations comprising the foundation board IIB, the resin impregnated sheet II,

the padding layer I2, and outside fabric coveringr sheet I3 are assembled as a unit and then introduced into a suitable press for the purpose of consolidating the laminations or layers together.' The press is usually provided with heated upper and lower platens or dies formed so as to consolidate the layers together at the desired localities. During the pressing operation the temperature and pressure are so regulated that the resinous material contained in the sheet Ii is cured, but first such material contacts or infuses into the fabric outer covering I3, the padding layer I2 and foundation board I0 so that all of these layers or laminations will be firmly secured together at the localities where pressure is applied by the dies. In the present instance the dies are constructed so as to form relatively deep indentations or grooves I4, and since the resin impregnated sheet II is relatively thick and compressible the grooves or indentations I4 extend partially into this sheet as indicated at ida. Along these lines of indentation I4 the II will flow through the compressed wadding I2 and will 4penetrate the fabric I 3 along the base ofthe indentations sufficiently so as to thoroughly consolidate these layers together at these localities. In addition, the resinous material will eiect a permanent bond between the fabric and wadding layers and the foundation board in the locality of the grooves or indentations I4 Where pressure is applied by the dies. As a consequence, the layers of the panel will be securely and permanently bonded together upon completion of the curing or reaction of the resin While substantial areas of the panel between the lines of indentation will Aremain `uncompressed so `as to give the panel as a whole a soft upholstered effect.

In some instances, particularly in connection with trim panels forthe interior of automobile ldoors, it is necessary vto form one or more aper- A:tures in the panel for the reception of the handle nently depressed below the adjoining top surface of the panel and with the sheets consolidated together in said area through the medium solely of the resinous material contained in said paper sheet.

6. The method of making a panel-like article, including the steps of laminating together a stiff foundation sheet having Van aperture pierced therein, a top fabric sheet, an intermediate padding sheet and a relatively thick resin impregnated sheet of low density interposed between the foundation and padding sheets; separating a portion of the fabric, padding and resin impregnated sheets from the remainder thereof while forcing such portion into'said aperture, and consolidating said sheets together along the margin of said aperture.

'7. The method of making a panel-like article, including the steps of laminating together a stiff foundation sheet having an aperture pierced includingfthe steps of laminating. a foundation sheet having an aperture therein and a plurality of cover sheets, separating from said cover sheets a portion corresponding substantially to the area of said aperture and forcing said portion into .said aperture while consolidating said sheets together through the medium of a bonding material.

including the steps of laminating together a stiff foundation sheet, a top fabric sheet, an intermediate padding sheet and a resinous layer interposed between the foundation and padding sheets; separating a portion of the fabric and padding sheets from the remainder thereof while forcing said portion into an aperture in said foundation sheet, and consolidating vsaid sheets together along the margin of said aperture through the medium of said resinous layer.

10. The method of making a panel-like article, including the steps of laminating together a stiff foundation sheet, a top fabric sheet, an intermediate padding sheet and a resinous layer interposed between the foundation and padding sheets; separating a portion of the fabric and padding sheets from the remainder thereof while forcing said portion into an aperture in said foundation sheet, and compressing said sheets together around themargin of said aperture to provide a depressed area in which the sheets are bonded together through the medium of said resinous layer.

11. A panel-like article, comprising a plurality 9. The method of making a panel-like article,

of laminated sheets including a foundation sheet, a top fabric sheet, a padding sheet underlying the fabric sheet, and a paper sheet interposed between the foundation and padding sheets and containing a resinous material, said sheets having an aperturetherethrough with the marginal area bounding the aperture permanently depressed below the adjoining top surface of the panel, the padding sheet in said area being reduced in thickness and said sheets being consolidated together in said area through the medium of the resinous material contained in said paper sheet.

l2. The method of making a panel-like article including the steps of laminating a foundation sheet having an aperture therein and a plurality of cover sheets with a layer of bonding material interposed between certa-in sheets, consolidating said sheets together around the margin of said aperture through the medium of said bonding material and at the same time separating from said cover sheets a portion thereof and forcing the same into said aperture.

13. The method of making a panel-like article including the step-s of laminating together a foundation sheet having an aperture therein, a top cover sheet and an intermediate padding sheet with a layer of bonding material interposed between certain of said sheets; compressing said sheets together around the margin of said aperture to provide a depressed area in which the sheets are bonded together through the medium of said bonding material and at the same time separating a portion of the fabric and padding sheets from the lremainder thereof-and forcing Y-said portion into said aperture.

14. A panel-like article comprising a-plurality of laminated sheets including a foundation sheet, a top cover sheet, a padding sheet underlying said cover sheet, and a layer of bonding material interposed between certain of said sheets, said sheets having an aperture therethrough with the marginal area bounding the aperture permanently depressed below the adjoining top surface of the panel, the padding sheet in said marginal area being reduced in thickness and said sheets being consolidated together in said area through the medium of said bonding material.

LAWRENCE B. WEYMOUTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PAIENTS Number Name Date 1,414,420 Kempton May 2, 1922 1,820,259 W'andel Aug. 25, 1931 1,995,734 Callahan Mar. 26, 1935 1,999,385 Woodall Apr. 30, 1935 2,099,989 Osborn Nov. 23, 1937 2,134,496- Zinser Oct. 25, 1938 2,202,963 Randall June 4, 1940 2,287,159 Zinser June 23, 1942 2,369,658 Burns Feb. 20, 1945 

1. A PANEL-LIKE ARTICLE, COMPRISING A RELATIVELY STIFF FOUNDATION BOARD, A TOP FABRIC LAYER, AN INTERMEDIATE LAYER OF RELATIVELY SOFT COMPRESSIBLE MATERIAL INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID FOUNDATION AND FABRIC LAYERS, AND MEANS FOR BONDING SAID FOUNDATION BOARD, FABRIC AND INTERMEDIATE LAYERS TOGETHER COMPRISING AN ABSORBENT RESIN IMPREGNATED PAPER SHEET OF MATERIALLY GREATER THICKNESS THAN SAID FABRIC LAYER INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID FOUNDATION BOARD AND SAID INTERMEDIATE LAYER, SAID FOUNDATION BOARD, LAYER AND PAPER SHEET BEING PERMANENTLY HELD TOGETHER AT PREDETERMINED LOCALITIES SOLELY THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF SAID RESIN. 